As a result, I've withdrawn from all planned public engagements and I've asked my partner Adele if she will do me the honour of becoming my widow (sorry - but we find ghoulish humour helps). By the time this goes out we'll be married and on a short honeymoon. We intend to spend however much quality time I have left seeing friends and relations and visiting places that have meant a lot to us. Meanwhile my heroic publishers are doing all they can to bring the publication date of my new novel forward by as much as four months, to give me a better chance of being around when it hits the shelves.

Lastly, I'd like to add that from my GP onwards, the professionalism of the medics involved - and the speed with which the resources of the NHS in Scotland have been deployed - has been exemplary, and the standard of care deeply impressive. We're all just sorry the outcome hasn't been more cheerful.

I read that yesterday. I adore his science fiction, he's one of the most original authors around today, and in my opinion one of the greatest science fiction writers EVER! To those of you who haven't read any of them, please do! You won't regret it. ( He writes sci-fi under Iain M. Banks, and his non-sci-fi under Iain Banks, without the M.) My favourite is The Algebraist.

Tony, I had just finished reading Dark Side of the Sun and Strata again, and I had commented to my daughter only a few days ago that I considered them underrated and that there was a definite Banks-ish quality about them, so I can see the link. I'm convinced Iain drew something from them.